spring 2012 convocation script - university of oklahoma · 2019-07-11 · page 5 of 27 - final...

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Spring 2012 Convocation Script 3:00 p.m. Staff to arrive at Field House 3:30 p.m. Students arrive and check-in.

(Melanie Adams and Kelly Storm at the check-in table)

4:00 p.m.: Faculty arrive Field House 4:15 p.m.: Organize faculty. (Kathy Adams - faculty)

Organize graduates. (Melanie Adams and Kelly Storm will line-up students)

4:15 p.m.: Music starts playing. 4:30 p.m.: Pomp & Circumstance begins. College banner

leads processional, followed by platform party (deans, speakers, faculty, PhDs)

Faculty and PhDs, then faculty marshals, then

master’s candidates, then undergraduates. Remain standing until all graduates have entered.

Announcer: Good afternoon and welcome to the campus of the University of Oklahoma. At this time, would you please stand and greet the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication processional party as they enter the arena.

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Prompt: Gaylord College banner carrier (Ms. Chinh Doan) begins walking, along with the platform party (deans, faculty, guest speaker, Ph.D. candidates). [Begin announcing when Gaylord College banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome the Gaylord College deans, faculty, and our specials guests—led by our Gaylord College banner carrier and 2011-2012 Outstanding Senior, Ms. Chinh Doan Prompt: Ready the faculty marshals: Professor Kyle Bergerson and Professor Julie Jones. [Begin announcing when the faculty marshals pass the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our Gaylord College faculty marshals, Professors Julie Jones and Kyle Bergerson. Prompt: Ready Graduate banner carrier and graduate candidates [Begin announcing when the Graduate banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our graduate candidates, led by banner carrier, Dr. Chad Nye

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Prompt: Ready Advertising banner carrier and advertising candidates [Begin announcing when the Advertising banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our Advertising candidates, led by banner carrier and Advertising Highest Academic Achievement award recipient, Ms. Lauren Elizabeth Britton Prompt: Ready Broadcasting and Electronic Media banner carrier and BEM candidates [Begin announcing when the Broadcasting and Electronic Media banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our Broadcasting and Electronic Media candidates, led by banner carrier and Broadcasting and Electronic Media Highest Academic Achievement award recipient, Mr. Jonathan Keegan Kirkhart Prompt: Ready Journalism banner carrier and Journalism candidates [Begin announcing when the Journalism banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.]

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Announcer: Please welcome our Journalism candidates, led by banner carrier and Journalism Highest Academic Achievement award recipient, Ms. Kathleen Anne Evans Prompt: Ready Professional Writing banner carrier and Professional Writing candidates [Begin announcing when the Professional Writing banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our Professional Writing candidates, led by banner carrier and Professional Writing Highest Academic Achievement award recipient, Ms. Brittney Marie Brown Prompt: Ready Public Relations banner carrier and Public Relations candidates [Begin announcing when the Public Relations banner carrier passes the break in seating used for special accommodation seating.] Announcer: Please welcome our Public Relations candidates, led by banner carrier and Public Relations Highest Academic Achievement award recipient Ms. Lauren Camille Nassar

4:35 p.m.: Everyone should be in auditorium by now.

Music ends. Foote to lectern. FOOTE: Thank you. You may be seated now.

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WELCOME to the Spring 2012 Convocation ceremony for the Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication recognizing our 20th graduating class since becoming a COLLEGE in 2000. Today the president of the JayMac Alumni group, JAMES TYREE will welcome our graduates to the ranks of alumni. We will also hear a few comments from this year’s OUTSTANDING SENIOR, CHINH DOAN And, a keynote address from one of our esteemed alumni, KATHY TAYLOR.

We also wanted to remind you that the ceremony will be streamed LIVE to our website and will be archived for your future viewing.

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<Acknowledgements> FOOTE: I would like to start by recognizing those

people in the audience who have put so much time and effort into seeing these young people succeed… First, will all of the parents who have someone graduating today please stand? Will the grandparents please join them? How about any brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles or other relatives in the audience? Please stand with the parents and grandparents and show support for your graduate. As you can see by the number of people standing, it takes a lot of support from families to get a student through college. Give yourselves a hand! <APPLAUSE> Thank you. You may be seated now.

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FOOTE: It also takes a lot of effort and nurturing from FACULTY MEMBERS AND STAFF once your student is on campus. I would like to thank the many FACULTY MEMBERS here today and those who could not be with us for the enormous amount of time and effort they put in to mentoring these students.

<APPLAUSE> I would also like to thank a special group of

students who are helping us today, the GAYLORD AMBASSADORS. These students are the best of the best and we frequently call on them to help us out with large events. One of them may have helped you find your seat or handed you a program. Thank you AMBASSADORS for your help.

<APPLAUSE> Anthony Shadid Commentary? FOOTE: <Make your comments about the College.> Gaylord College has been recognized on several top programs lists: • Top 10 Advertising programs by bestofcolleges.com • Top 20 Journalism and Mass Communication programs by

collegemediamatters.com • Best university for Native Americans to study journalism

by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine

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Apple Designation • The Gaylord College is one of the first university programs

in the U.S. to be named an Apple Distinguished Program for its comprehensive integration of Apple-inspired technology throughout its building and curriculum.

• Gaylord students have become master storytellers with access to more than 400 Apple computers equipped with the latest Apple and Adobe software.

• The Apple Distinguished Program designation is reserved for academic units that are recognized centers of educational excellence and leadership.

Advertising program excellence • The student team for NSAC (National Student

Advertising Competition) prepared an outstanding campaign for Nissan that drew upon the creative talents of advertising, public relations and broadcasting and electronic media students. The campaign received second place in the region and was referred up as a “wild card” to the national competition

• A team of students from Professor Jim Avery's Advertising Account Planning class recently traveled to the African country of Cameroon. The class was assigned to develop and present a marketing and advertising campaign for Americans to visit Cameroon to officials from the Ministry of Tourism.

<Acknowledgement of Graduates>

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FOOTE: So, to you – the Spring Class of 2012 and those December 2011 graduates here today – I can say without reservation that it has been our privilege to serve as instructors, mentors and guides to each of you.

You have walked the same path as more than

11,000 OU journalism and mass communication grads before you; graduates who have distinguished themselves in careers at newspapers, in television, radio, advertising, public relations, professional writing, film, publishing, government and teaching. Today, we challenge you to follow your dreams, to use the talent and dedication you have, and to excel in all of your life’s pursuits. By doing so, you will honor your family, your degree and our College and University. Of course, you should also be true to yourself. Parents, friends and faculty, please join me in congratulating our graduates.

FOOTE: - Introduction of JAMES TYREE

• This ceremony honors our new graduates. As they move into the ranks of alumni, they become a part of the support system for future generations. The backbone of that support system is JayMac, our alumni association. JayMac contributes a number of

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resources – both financial and in-kind – to the Gaylord College.

• JAMES TYREE is the president of the JayMac and is a 1995 graduate of the journalism program.

• He is long-time Norman journalist having written for the Norman Transcript, The Oklahoman and Sooner Spectator among others and

• Has served as an adjunct professor teaching news writing for several years.

• He is currently providing communication consultation to the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.

• Please join me in welcoming JAYMAC BOARD PRESIDENT, JAMES TYREE

TYREE: Delivers speech. (Foote returns to lectern.) <APPLAUSE> FOOTE: Thank you, JAMES. I would now like to introduce John Hockett,

the assistant dean for student affairs and administration, who will help us honor our students for their academic achievements.

(Foote sits; Hockett to lectern) HOCKETT: One of the great joys of teaching is seeing

students excel and distinguish themselves

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among their peers. The University of Oklahoma recognizes students for academic achievement in a number of ways. As a College, we will now acknowledge these groups of individuals. Please hold your applause until the last group has been called.

Students who maintained a grade point average

of 3.8 to 3.99 are designated as graduates with special distinction. Will all those graduating with special distinction stand and remain standing to be recognized?

Gaylord College students who maintained a

grade point average of 3.6 to 3.79 are designated as graduates with distinction. Will all those graduating with special distinction join the others to be recognized?

Congratulations to you all. You may be seated. <APPLAUSE> HOCKETT: The OU Honors College also recognizes

students who have gone the extra mile and taken honors classes and completed an independent research project, while maintaining a minimum grade point average. We will now acknowledge these groups of individuals. Please hold your applause until the final group has been called.

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Students who maintained a grade point average of 3.8 to 4.0 are designated as graduating summa cum laude. Will all those graduating summa cum laude stand and be recognized?

Students who maintained a grade point average

of 3.6 to 3.79 are designated as graduating magna cum laude. Will all those graduating with magna cum laude stand and remain standing to be recognized?

Those honors students who maintained a grade

point average of 3.4 to 3.59 are designated as graduating cum laude. Will this final group of honors students join the others to be recognized?

HOCKETT: Congratulations to each of you on your

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. <APPLAUSE> HOCKETT: The University also invites students that meet

minimum grade point averages to join one of several honor societies. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest and most distinguished academic honor society. This year, 13 students in the Gaylord College were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

In addition, to Phi Beta Kappa, Gaylord

College students are eligible to join Kappa

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Tau Alpha the only college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication for both undergraduate and graduate students. This year KTA welcomed 14 students.

Will the new initiates to both Phi Beta Kappa

and Kappa Tau Alpha please stand and be recognized?

<APPLAUSE> HOCKETT: The Gaylord College awards undergraduate

degrees in 5 majors: advertising, broadcasting and electronic media, journalism, professional writing and public relations. Each year the faculty selects five students that have exhibited excellence in their program (1 from each major) for recognition.

HOCKETT: We would like to recognize five students at the

Gaylord College of Journalism for their achievements and excellence here at the College.

The Student Excellence Awards go to: Lauren Britton – Advertising Keegan Kirkhart – Broadcasting & Elec.

Media Kathleen Evans – Journalism Brittney Brown – Professional Writing

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Lauren Nassar – Public Relations HOCKETT: We congratulate each of you on your

accomplishments. <APPLAUSE> HOCKETT: And now, I’d like to introduce our student

speaker and overall Outstanding Senior. HOCKETT: CHINH DOAN is one of those outstanding breed of student

that has really gotten involved in activities on campus and taken advantage of the opportunities through the Gaylord College

• Chinh is a journalism major from Oklahoma City • She is a member of the Gaylord Ambassadors • She has served as a reporter, producer and anchor on OU

Nightly for two years • She has been active in the Magazine Interest Group and

the Oklahoma College Broadcasters • She is a McMahon Scholar and recipient of the Reynolds

Scholarship • She has had internships with the local KFOR-TV,

OklaVision and with the NBC-Universal intern program for the TODAY SHOW in NY

Chinh, will you please come and share a few

words with your fellow graduates? (DOAN to lectern)

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Doan: Delivers speech. <Doan sits, Foote returns to lectern.> Foote: It is my pleasure to introduce to you our

convocation speaker, KATHY TAYLOR • Kathy Taylor is a self-made woman

• Despite adversity and the death of both parents while in college she graduated with a degree in journalism broadcasting in 1978 and went on to receive her juris doctorate from OU in 1981.

• She is best known as a change agent having navigated through the status quo forces in education and economic development to help private and public sectors work together for meaningful community improvement.

• She was the Secretary of Commerce, Tourism and Workforce Development for the State of Oklahoma from, 2003-2006

• As the top economic development officer for the State she led the charge to bring Dell Computer to Oklahoma providing thousands of jobs and

• She co-chaired a statewide plan to implement a major research endowment to support job development

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• As Mayor of Tulsa from 2006-2009, she led the most comprehensive land development plan for Tulsa in 30 years,

• She also worked tirelessly to improve and support public education and developed programs to provide 500 mentors for at-risk youth.

• She is a practicing attorney with the Tulsa office of McAfee and Taft but

• Has spent this past semester sharing her experiences with students as one of seven Resident Fellows for Harvard University's Institute of Politics located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

<APPLAUSE> (Foote returns to lectern) (Foote gets bag from under lectern as he begins talking.) FOOTE: Thank you, KATHY. To help express our

gratitude, we’d like to present you with a token of our affection so the University of Oklahoma and your friends at Gaylord College are never far from your thoughts.

<APPLAUSE>

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FOOTE: Now, if DR. META CARSTARPHEN, Graduate Director and a Gaylord Family Endowed Professor, will please come forward and preside over the hooding of the graduate students.

(Foote sits; Carstarphen to lectern) META: Thank you, Dean Foote. From medieval times, academic dress has

included three items: cap, gown and hood. The black gown and mortarboard are traditional. Holders of master’s and doctoral degrees wear a hood that identifies the degree. The doctoral hoods are longer in the back than the master’s hoods.

The lining of the hood displays the official

colors of the college or university conferring the degree. The color of the velvet band around the neck indicates the scholar’s field of study – in our case, the color is crimson, signifying journalism and mass communication.

Now, it is my pleasure to present to you today

three students to complete the requirements of our new doctoral program: Christal Johnson, Chad Nye and Aimei Yang.

Will you please stand?

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Christal received her bachelor’s degree from

the University of Missouri and her master’s degree from The University of North Texas. Christal is currently an assistant professor at Howard University. I serve as her major professor

Chad received his bachelor’s degree from the

University of Missouri and his master’s degree from Oklahoma State University. Chad is currently an assistant professor at Keene University. Dr. Fred Beard serves as his Major Professor.

Aimei is originally from China.

She received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Nankai University in Tianjiang. Aimei has accepted a position at the University of Dayton and will begin her new job in August. Dr. Charles Self serves as Aimei’s Major Professor.

Now, will Chad and Aimei, please come

forward to be hooded before your Gaylord peers?

<As they move to center stage for

hooding continue reading the next part.>

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Although these students were “officially” hooded during last night’s campus-wide commencement ceremony with President David L. Boren, we would like to recognize two of them again today among their new journalism faculty peers and the undergraduates, many of whom they taught in class.

Doctoral students succeed in large part due to

the mentoring and guidance they receive from their Major Professors, or faculty chairs. At this time, will Dr. Fred Beard and Dr. Charles Self please come forward and perform the honor of hooding our students?

< Fred hoods Chad. Charles hoods Aimei. > Then they all return to their seats and Meta continues.> Please join me in saluting the collective achievements of our Gaylord doctoral students. <Applause> META: Thank you.

Now it is my pleasure to present to you for hooding the students who have completed the requirements for the degrees of Master of Arts

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in Journalism and Mass Communication or Master of Professional Writing.

Professors who chaired or served on their

thesis, project or exam committee will hood the candidates who are receiving degrees today.

<Party Pics will take photo of students as they are being hooded. FOOTE TO STAND STAGE RIGHT OF PODIUM to shake hand and have second photo taken. Faculty wishing to shake hands or hug students will be to the far right, just before the ramp.> <Master’s candidates will line up in the order they will be hooded (alphabetically by faculty then by student) and remain at the top of the ramp until their professor’s name is called. Then each graduate will proceed onto stage when their name is called.> <CARSTARPHEN calls each faculty member’s name first, then the student(s) come onto the stage. CARSTARPHEN reads name as student crosses to professor, hands professor hood, turns to face audience and has photo taken. Student then proceeds across stage to receive diploma cover from CAT and have picture taken while shaking JOE’S hand.> META: The first group of students to receive their

Master’s hoods are those receiving their Master of Professional Writing.

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Will Dr. Jim Davis and Dr. David Craig please come forward to perform the honor of hooding the Professional Writing students?

<Pause in between each student to allow full amount of time needed for hooding and photo.> META: Jennifer Elsner (Applause) Erin Sigler (Applause) META: Please congratulate the students on completion

of their Master of Professional Writing. META: The next group of students will receive their

hoods in recognition of the completion of their Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication.

META: Dr. Peter Gade please come perform the

honor of hooding your students: Alexandria Page (Applause) Hogar Mohammed (Applause) META: Dr. Julie Jones please come perform the

honor of hooding your student: Nathan Altadonna (Applause)

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META: Dr. Charles Self please come perform the honor of hooding your student:

Crystal Sowah (Applause)

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META: Dr. Elanie Steyn please come perform the honor of hooding your student:

Rebekah Law (Applause) META: Professor Kathryn Jenson White please

come perform the honor of hooding your student:

Audrey Sowell (Applause) META: Dr. Michael Kent please come perform the

honor of hooding your student: Caitlin Handcock (Applause) META: Dr. Owen Kulemeka please come perform the

honor of hooding your student: Jaime Hodson (Applause) META: Dr. Maureen Taylor please come perform the

honor of hooding your students: Cole Hackett (Applause) Rebeca Pop (Applause) META: Thank you faculty members. Congratulations

to all our new graduate degree recipients! <Meta moves back to her seat and Foote returns to lecturn.>

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FOOTE: Now, Dr. David Craig, associate dean of academic affairs, will you please come recommend the graduates.

CRAIG: It is now time to recognize the undergraduate

students who are receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Will the undergraduate spring class of 2012

and any winter 2011 graduates please stand? <Students stand> <Pronouncement of Graduates> CRAIG: Dean Foote, the candidates who stand before

you today embody the undergraduate mission of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. They value and protect freedom of expression. They welcome and encourage intellectual and cultural diversity. They exercise critical thinking. And they are creative, ethical, skilled and socially responsible. They have fulfilled all degree program requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. On behalf of the faculty of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, it is my great pleasure to recommend to you each of these individuals for you to bestow upon them their respective degrees.

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I offer to you the spring class of 2012 and winter 2011 graduates.

<Applause> <Craig sits; Foote comes to podium.> <Presentation of Graduates> Foote: Thank you, Dr. Craig. The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents

grants to President David L. Boren the authority to formally confer degrees upon each of our students at a Commencement ceremony held last night. However, President Boren has delegated to me the authority to honor each of you in convocation today upon completion of the work for your degrees. Therefore, it is my great pleasure to congratulate you for your achievements in completing your degrees and to recognize each of you individually as you receive your degree certificates with all the rights, perquisites and privileges due to you.

<Applause> FOOTE: I congratulate the undergraduates as you

officially become alumni! And now, Dean John Hockett, will announce the graduates’ names as they receive their diplomas and cross the stage.

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(Foote goes to stand stage right of podium; Hockett moves to small podium. Faculty marshals will lead candidates to base of stage where Melanie Adams will direct students to line up and remind them to switch tassel to right side.) HOCKETT: As the candidates line up to receive their

degrees, family and friends should feel free to take pictures and/or shout with joy when your graduate’s name is read, but we ask that you try not to leave your seats to take photos.

<Student comes to stage, hands Melanie/Hockett a card with his/her name on it. Hockett reads name as student crosses to Cat in center stage who will hand diploma to student, student accepts diploma cover, moves to Foote to shake the dean’s hand, and have picture taken. Student continues crossing to stage right and is greeted by faculty members as they exit the stage. A second photo will be taken by Party Pics before going back to seat.> <FOOTE moves to lectern following last graduate’s photo.> FOOTE: Congratulations to our new graduates! Thank you all for attending our program today.

Graduates, on behalf of the faculty and staff of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.

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We ask that the audience please remain at your seats until our new graduates have filed out.

But before we exit, I’d like to ask that

everyone stand and join us in singing the OU Chant led by Dr. Charles Self. The words can be found on the back of your program.

CHINH, will you please bring the banner to

the front of the stage? (Music begins; singing of OU Chant.) O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A

Our chant rolls on and on! Thousands strong Join heart and song In alma mater’s praise Of campus beautiful by day and night Of colors proudly gleaming Red and White ‘Neath a western sky OU’s chant will never die. Live on, University!

(Immediately following singing of OU Chant, recessional music “Oklahoma!” begins and faculty and graduates exit Field House.)

spring 2012 convocation script - university of oklahoma · 2019-07-11 · page 5 of 27 - final...

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